ATLANTA -- Jason Heyward's reluctance to return to the leadoff role was influenced by his belief that he would not have as many opportunities to drive in runs. While that may prove true over the course of an entire season, Heyward took advantage of the opportunity he was given to provide the Braves a 5-2 win over the Marlins on Friday night at Turner Field.Heyward's RBI single off left-handed reliever Mike Dunn fueled a three-run seventh inning that proved decisive for the Braves, who have won three straight games and seven of their past 11. 
This latest victory came with more assistance from Justin Upton, who drilled a two-run homer in the sixth and then provided some cushion with a single that accounted for the final two runs in the seventh.The victory moved the Braves within 5 1/2 games of the National League East-leading Nationals and one behind the Giants for the second NL Wild Card spot, with both teams playing later Friday.Andrelton Simmons opened the bottom of the seventh with a bunt single and advanced to second when pinch-hitter Ramiro Pena followed with a single. This prompted the Marlins to call for Dunn to face Heyward, who entered the game hitting .159 against left-handed pitchers.These struggles were not apparent as Heyward fell behind with a 1-2 count and then fouled off a pair of pitches, before concluding the decisive seven-pitch at-bat with an opposite-field single that raced through to left.Upton, who has enhanced his NL Most Valuable Player Award candidacy while batting .354 (17-for-48) with 18 RBIs in his past 12 games, capped the seventh inning with a single that scored Heyward and Emilio Bonifacio, with the assistance of a Marcell Ozuna error. The Braves left fielder's biggest blast of the night was the homer that accounted for the only two runs allowed by Marlins starter Tom Koehler.Braves starter Ervin Santana seemed destined for an early exit when he walked the bases full with just one out during a 32-pitch first inning. But the veteran right-hander escaped that threat unscathed, and he did not allow the Marlins to advance a runner as far as second base until Casey McGehee, Garrett Jones and Ozuna notched consecutive one-out hits in the sixth inning.Ozuna scraped the right-field line with a double that scored McGehee in uncontested fashion. Tommy La Stella's pinpoint relay throw allowed Evan Gattis to apply the tag that denied Jones' bid to also score on the play.During each of the first three innings, Koehler allowed the first hitter he faced to reach safely and advance to second base. But the Braves, who went hitless in five at-bats with runners in scoring position, did not dent the scoreboard until Upton jumped on a high fastball and sent it over the center-field wall in the sixth inning.Jordany Valdespin's opposite-field solo shot off David Carpenter in the seventh inning tied the game, but Heyward and Upton combined to put it away in the bottom half of the frame.Mark Bowman / MLB.com
This latest victory came with more assistance from Justin Upton, who drilled a two-run homer in the sixth and then provided some cushion with a single that accounted for the final two runs in the seventh.The victory moved the Braves within 5 1/2 games of the National League East-leading Nationals and one behind the Giants for the second NL Wild Card spot, with both teams playing later Friday.Andrelton Simmons opened the bottom of the seventh with a bunt single and advanced to second when pinch-hitter Ramiro Pena followed with a single. This prompted the Marlins to call for Dunn to face Heyward, who entered the game hitting .159 against left-handed pitchers.These struggles were not apparent as Heyward fell behind with a 1-2 count and then fouled off a pair of pitches, before concluding the decisive seven-pitch at-bat with an opposite-field single that raced through to left.Upton, who has enhanced his NL Most Valuable Player Award candidacy while batting .354 (17-for-48) with 18 RBIs in his past 12 games, capped the seventh inning with a single that scored Heyward and Emilio Bonifacio, with the assistance of a Marcell Ozuna error. The Braves left fielder's biggest blast of the night was the homer that accounted for the only two runs allowed by Marlins starter Tom Koehler.Braves starter Ervin Santana seemed destined for an early exit when he walked the bases full with just one out during a 32-pitch first inning. But the veteran right-hander escaped that threat unscathed, and he did not allow the Marlins to advance a runner as far as second base until Casey McGehee, Garrett Jones and Ozuna notched consecutive one-out hits in the sixth inning.Ozuna scraped the right-field line with a double that scored McGehee in uncontested fashion. Tommy La Stella's pinpoint relay throw allowed Evan Gattis to apply the tag that denied Jones' bid to also score on the play.During each of the first three innings, Koehler allowed the first hitter he faced to reach safely and advance to second base. But the Braves, who went hitless in five at-bats with runners in scoring position, did not dent the scoreboard until Upton jumped on a high fastball and sent it over the center-field wall in the sixth inning.Jordany Valdespin's opposite-field solo shot off David Carpenter in the seventh inning tied the game, but Heyward and Upton combined to put it away in the bottom half of the frame.Mark Bowman / MLB.com
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